GILBERT OF SEMPRINGHAM, Saint. - Ascetic, founder of the Order of the Gilbertines, he occupies an important place in the revival of religious Orders in the 12th century. Born at Sempringham in Lincolnshire, around 1083-85, to the English knight Jocelin and a Norman mother; he studied in France and, having returned to his homeland, devoted himself to educating abandoned youth. He received two benefices from his father, but distributed their revenues to the poor, living himself with the bishop of Lincoln Robert Bloet and his successor Alexander, by whom, around the year 1123, he was ordained priest and, shortly afterwards, made parish priest at Sempringham.
He founded his Order between the years 1131-35, gathering in his father's house seven poor maidens whom he had take religious vows, dedicating them exclusively to the contemplative life. Later he added converse sisters for the domestic offices and lay brothers for work in the fields. At the general chapter of Cîteaux (1145-46) he met St. Bernard and Eugenius III and offered the Cistercians the spiritual direction of the new Order. Since they did not accept, he added a new branch to his institution, the Regular Canons, for the spiritual care of the monasteries. Later he himself entered the Order, promising obedience to Roger of Sempringham, first superior general. He supported Thomas Becket against Henry II, for which he suffered persecutions, saving himself only through the personal esteem he enjoyed with the King. He also suffered the slanders of some of his religious, but was defended before Pope Alexander III by all the bishops. He founded 13 monasteries, of which 9 were double and 4 of men only. He died a centenarian at Sempringham on 4 February 1189 and was canonized by Innocent III on 11 January 1202.
His writings comprise the statutes of the Order, a letter to his religious and some discourses.
Bibliography3 works
Ulderico Vicentini